A New Year's encounter
by Animelover2514
Summary: Quick New Year's one shot. Lucy has been kidnapped and there is one person that can save her. Natsu! Just kidding! but I got you for a second right? right? sorry that was so lame The one person who can save her is none other that Sting! Rated T for mild language


No one's P.O.V.

A certain blonde mage was making her way through the town on December thirtieth. The winter wind blew right through her heavy coat.

_What have we here? A fairy?_ These thoughts belonged to an unknown person lurking in the alley nearby. As the 'fairy' walked on the ledge by the river, she pondered upon what to buy for New Year's Eve. She did not think of the possibility of someone watching her. She did not expect someone to reach out and drag her into an alley, so when it did happen, the young mage had no idea how to react. She struggled and pulled, but her attempts were futile. It wasn't long until she was knocked unconscious and dragged to an unknown location.

. . .

The young blonde awoke in a damp, musty smelling room. A blindfold was secured over her eyes while she slept. The sound of heels clicking against the stone floor echoed in the small room. She tried to scream, but her thought was dry and her voice was hoarse.

"Well, it looks like the fairy has woken up." That voice! Where had the fairy heard that voice before?! It could only be Minerva!

The tapping grew closer as Minerva stepped forward and removed the blindfold. "Hello, Lucy Heartfillia. Welcome to Sabertooth." A wicked grin spread across Minerva's face. "Say, what do you think your beloved nakama would do to get you back?"

"You little-" Minerva delivered a sharp kick right into Lucy's stomach, forcing the blonde to cut her sentence short.

"-bitch," Lucy finished once she recovered.

"How dare you talk to me that way?" Minerva shrieked as she slapped the Lucy across the face. There was nothing Lucy could do, not while she was tied up.

"You won't get away with this!" Lucy yelled.

"I think I just did," Minerva replied laughing.

"Oh well, your mistake. Only an idiot would mess with Fairy Tail," Lucy said, earning a powerful punch to the face.

With that, Minerva stormed out of the room. Lucy listened intently on the sounds that followed. _Either up or down fifteen steps. Wooden door at the top. No windows-probably in a basement._ Lucy went through her observations in her head over and over before finally deciding that she was correct.

There was no way for Lucy to keep track of time. She simply sat in the dim light of a couple candles mounted on the wall, alone with her own thoughts. It must have been hours before the door at the top of the stairs finally opened again. Some shouting could be heard from the small chamber Lucy sat in. It was hard to make out the words. Someone didn't want to bring something down to her. Someone else made that person.

The door open quickly as Sting burst in. "Oi Blondie," he began nice and clear. He then paused until the door slammed shut. "I have food for you," he finished, much quieter.

"Thanks, but it is kinda hard to eat."

"Oh," Sting stepped forward and began slowly feeding Lucy.

Once the food was gone Lucy had to ask, "What is with the sudden change in character?"

"I am usually loud around all my guild mates. I thought I would try a softer approach, considering we don't really know each other."

"So which is the real you?"

To this, Sting only shrugged his shoulders. He really didn't know. Neither one seemed completely natural to him, although he wouldn't ever actually tell anyone that.

The two blonde mages sat in silence for a moment, neither really knowing what to say. Sting had never shown this side of himself to anyone. Lucy never even considered it a possibility.

"Hey, um, would it be okay if I came back down later tonight?" Sting questioned.

"Sure," Lucy said, not really having a reason for him not to. It wasn't him that had kidnapped her, and he had been the one to bring her food. Why not?

Sting then left without another word.

Lucy was, once again, left to her thoughts. No matter what she as thinking about, her mind would always wander back to Sting. She had no idea that Sting could be like that. Why did he act so differently around his guild mates? Why did he want to come back and see Lucy? It just didn't make any sense.

. . .

Sometime later, just as the blonde started to doze, Sting walked through her cell door. "Hey Blondie," he said.

"You do realize that you are blonde too, right?"

"Naturally."

Lucy let out a sigh. It was probably New Year's Eve already. She should be celebrating with her Nakama, not wasting away in some smelly room.

"Well you don't seem to happy," Sting commented.

"Should I be happy? I've been kidnapped by my guilds rivals and haven't been able to move for who knows how long," Lucy replied bitterly.

"Look on the bright side."

"What bright side?"

"You know, the fact that I am here to keep you company."

At this Lucy rolled her eyes. "Tell me something."

"Like what?"

"Why do you act so different around me?"

Sting hesitated for a moment. "When I first came to Sabertooth, I guess I was a bit loud and cocky. It's what some of the people recognized me as, so it is what I have become. I guess it is a bit weird, huh?"

"Totally weird," Lucy said flatly.

Sting fell over before the words were even out of Lucy's mouth. "At least try to comfort me!"

A little giggle escaped Lucy's mouth before she could stop it. "You finally laughed," Sting said smiling.

"No I didn't."

"Yeah you kinda did!"

The two of them went back and forth for a while until Sting had an idea. _Absolutely brilliant._ That is what Sting thought of it as. When Lucy finished her last counter, Sting stepped forward and began to tickle Lucy. She tried to hold it in, but failed miserably. Lucy burst out laughing until her eyes watered. "Sto-stop it! I-I can't breathe!" Lucy said as she gasped for air.

"There, I think that counts as a laugh!" Sting said proudly.

After finally calming down, Lucy asked, "What if I wasn't ticklish?"

"Well then that would have been really awkward."

"Hahaha I guess you're right."

Sting looked into Lucy's chocolate orbs and realized he was blushing. What was this? This had never happened to Sting before unless he was embarrassed. He wasn't embarrassed now though. _Strange._

_Lucy, would you forgive me if I liked you, just a little?_

"What are your parents like?" Sting asked.

Lucy suddenly became very serious, but she told Sting about them. What they were like, that she loved them very much. Finally, she ended by telling him that they both had died a while ago.

"You have some great memories," Sting told Lucy. "I don't remember my real parents. I have some nice memories with the dragon that raised me, but I think you have already heard about how that ended."

The two of them talked and talked for hours. Lucy told Sting about how wonderful fairy tail was. She told him about the entire incident with her dad and Phantom Lord. He told her about how he came to Sabertooth, how he met Rouge, and what kind of people the members of Sabertooth were. Lucy and Sting traded stories of their adventures, their loved ones, and even their tears. In just those few hours, Lucy had begun to like Sting. Whenever he smiled or looked at her a certain way, her hear would speed up and a light pick graced her cheeks. Sting wasn't doing any better at hiding his emotions.

_Sting, what would you say if I told you I had feeling for you? How would you react? _These thoughts played over and over in Lucy's mind. Now if only she could actually ask him.

"You know that first question you asked me?" Sting asked.

"Yeah,"

"Well this is the answer."

Lucy looked at him questioningly.

"This is the real me."

A bright smile spread across Lucy's face when she realized just what Sting was talking about.

"Minerva will kill me for this," Sting said.

"For what?"

Without another word, Sting cut the ropes that held Lucy in place and pulled her beloved keys out of his pocket. "Let's get you out of here," Sting said handing her the keys.

A firm nod was all it too for Sting to pull Lucy to her feet and lead her out of the guild. This was where the two mages were to part ways, but Sting couldn't leave Lucy like this. Before she could leave, he pulled her into his chest and planted a firm kiss on her forehead. "I'll miss you."

"Come with me," Lucy requested.

"To fairy tail?"

"Yes, they will accept you! I know they will!"

"But-"

"But what?"

Sting smiled and shook his head. "Will I get to spend time with you?"

"Every day," Lucy said.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Upon hearing this, Lucy threw her arms around Sting's neck. She could feel his warmth against her and stood on the tips of her toes as she reached up to kiss Sting on the cheek.

The sun began to rise over the trees, sending colors streaking across the early morning sky. Sting and Lucy walked hand in hand to a new beginning for Sting.

. . .

Sting couldn't believe how quickly Master Makarov accepted him. Not everyone was so welcoming, but it was fine with Sting. He had Lucy, and that was all he would ever need. The two of them sat together while the guild partied and when the clock striked twelve, Sting leaned forward and pressed his lips against Lucy's when she was right in the middle of a sentence. "Happy New Year," he told her.

"Happy New Year."

**Author's note: Well I'm not sure how good this is considering it has been over 72 hours since I got some decent sleep. Oh well. *sigh* I hope you like it! I hope it wasn't to clichéd or mushy…**


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